Buddy "Bud" Gleeful is a recurring character and former antagonist in Gravity Falls. He is the father of Li'l Gideon and an employee at the Tent of Telepathy. He owns a factory that makes Li'l Gideon merchandise in addition to selling used cars.
Background[]
Personality[]
Unlike his son, Bud is very polite, kind, and friendly. He usually sides with Gideon and gives him whatever he wants. It is hinted that Bud could be scared of his amulet, as this was most noticed when Gideon was ruining his room with the amulet's power.
Physical appearance[]
Bud Gleeful is a large, slightly portly man with long sideburns going down his face. He has a Southern accent and wears a salmon, flower button-up shirt along with a straw hat on his head. His eyebrows appear to be very bushy.
Role in the series[]
Bud first appears in "The Hand That Rocks the Mabel" promoting the Tent of Telepathy in a commercial. Stan meets Bud when he goes to Gideon's home, to stop Mabel from interacting with his child. Bud is very friendly towards him and shares a cup of coffee. Bud proposes that they merge their businesses and monopolize the entertainment sector if Mabel were to marry Gideon. However, this plan fails when Mabel breaks up with Gideon. Bud sides with Gideon in the ensuing argument, causing Stan to steal one of their paintings and run away despite his yells of protest.
In "Little Dipper", it is revealed Bud sells used cars, although most of the vehicles are worn out. While Bud's wife seems to be terrified by her own son, Bud thinks otherwise, even though Gideon often manipulates his father (in addition to verbally abusing him). When Gideon's plan to take over the Mystery Shack failed, Bud tells his son he'll get his revenge on the Pines family one day, but Gideon angrily tells him it's not just about revenge; he wants the Shack to find a hidden secret.
In "Dreamscaperers", he destroys the Mystery Shack with a wrecking ball on his son's orders.
In "Gideon Rises", he promotes Gideonland, along with Waddles, now known as "Li'l Gideon Junior". Later, Gideon explains that Journal 1 and Journal 2 could cause an Armageddon, hence "The Author" hid them.
Later, Bud is quoted on the newspaper heralding Gideon's arrest, "He [Gideon] could use a time out!", giving the implication that he has grown tired of his son's apparent psychosis.
He later appears as a member of the Blind Eye Society in "Society of the Blind Eye". He later has his memory of the organization by Dipper using the Memory Gun.
He is then seen in a cameo in "Not What He Seems" when he is selling used cars during the anomalies.
He is then seen in "The Stanchurian Candidate", where Gideon wants him to be mayor so he can be free. At one point, Gideon uses a spell to control Bud as a last resort. However, the twins are able to foil Gideon's plan.
His last appearance is in "Weirdmageddon", using Gideon's merchandise to survive Weirdmageddon, unaware that Gideon was captured by Bill Cipher due to helping Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, and Soos enter the prison bubble.
Trivia[]
- Bud Gleeful did Gideon's commercial for the Tent of Telepathy.
- Bud can also play the piano.
